Summary

The Draft Meehan Range Nature Recreation Area (Redgate Section) Management Statement 2017 is available for download as a PDF [3.2MB]

Within the broader Meehan Range are three geographically separated sections of the Meehan Range Nature Recreation Area (NRA). In addition to the Redgate Section, there is the Mount Direction Section and the Risdon Vale Section. This management statement relates only to the Redgate Section.

Located at the southern end of the Meehan Range, to the east of the River Derwent, the Meehan Range NRA (Redgate Section) – (the reserve) is only a ten-minute drive from Hobart’s city centre and provides convenient access to a mostly natural area.

The reserve is important for its natural values of state, national and international significance, in particular the ten species of threatened plants and five species of threatened animals recorded from within the reserve. It is also highly valued by the local and wider community for the recreational opportunities it affords, including mountain biking, walking and running, dog walking and horse riding.

The reserve would have been traversed by Moomairremener people who were part of the Oyster Bay tribe.

During World War II, the reserve was used for defence purposes, as a lookout and for ammunitions storage and quarrying. In the 1970s, it was a base for constructing sections of the Tasman Bridge. The name “Redgate” appears to be linked to the name of railway station on the Sorell to Bellerive railway line, which operated between 1892 and 1926.

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) aims to manage the reserve for these three key outcomes:

Protection of threatened species and their habitat and threatened vegetation.

There are ten species of threatened plant and five species of threatened animal recorded from within the reserve. Four of the five threatened animal species are nationally listed under federal legislation: Tasmanian devil and eastern quoll (both Endangered), eastern barred bandicoot (vulnerable) and swift parrot (Critically Endangered) which feed on and may nest in the blue gums in the reserve. A further nine species of threatened animal could occur within the reserve. There are also three threatened vegetation communities occurring across the reserve. Two of the threatened plant species have a large proportion of their entire population within the reserve (Risdon peppermint and crimsontip daisybush).

Encouraging appropriate recreation and use.

The reserve is highly valued and very well used for recreation, particularly mountain bike riding. Meehan Range is one of three areas in the state recognised nationally for this recreational pursuit. An extensive network of mountain bike tracks has been constructed through the reserve, offering a range of riding opportunities. The reserve is also used for walking and trail running, dog walking, nature study including bird watching, and horse riding. Other uses have included rogaining and orienteering. It is important that these uses continue whilst appropriate and adequate protection is afforded to the reserve’s natural values.

Reduction of threats to the reserve.

The reserve has previously been subject to illegal four-wheel drive and motorbike access, sometimes associated with illegal wood cutting. There has been unauthorised trail construction. The reserve was also the site of dumping of stolen cars, rubbish and garden waste. It is anticipated that with a greater involvement of recreational visitors, local community and other stakeholders, these threats can be cooperatively addressed and reduced. Arson has occurred occasionally, and with a drying climate, bushfires have spread into the reserve several times in recent decades. Natural regeneration after fires has been dominated by dry-tolerant tree species, and the area of threatened vegetation is reducing. Some weeds have invaded the reserve but their populations are generally small.